Washing-machine



(No Model.)

W. BIRTH.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 323,260 Patented July 28, 1885.

" WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

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\VILLIAM BIRTH, OF BLAIRSTOVVN, IONVA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,260, dated July 28, 1885.

Application filed March 20, 1ss4. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BIRTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Blairstown, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVashingMachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a perspectivevview of my improved washing-machine, showing the lid removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view showing one-half of the endless apron cut away, and Fig. 4 is a detail view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to that class of washing-machinesin which an endless apron travels over rollers above a wash board placed at the bottom of the suds-box; and it contemplates certain improvements upon the washing-machines for which Letters Patent No. 264,407 were granted to James P. Gage on the 12th day of September, 1882; and it consists to that end in the detailed construction and combination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Aindieates the suds-box, which is provided with a lid or cover, 13, and is mounted upon two pairs of legs, one pair, 0 O, of which are shorter than the other pair, D D.

Two longitudinal strips or bars, E E, are pivoted at the upper ends of the inner sides of the side pieces of the suds-box, and may be swung out of the box with their free ends, and form bearings F F at their lower ends for a roller, G, and bearings H H near their upper ends for three (or more or less) fluted rollers, I, the upper one of which is provided with a crank or handle, K.

A transverse board, L, is secured at its ends between the cleats, filling the space between the lower fluted roller andthe lower roller, and an endless apron, M, passes over the rollers. The edges of this apron, which is preferably made of canvas, are bent up and doubled to A wash-board or scrubbing-board, Q, is

placed with its legs bearing against the lower end of the suds-box and with its upper end resting upon a fiat spring, It, bulged at its center, or a coiled-wire spring, which allows the board to yield; and it will be seen that the clothes when tucked between the apron and the transverse rods will be held in position partially by the apron being held in close contact with the said rods, on account of the rods acting as a brace for the apron, and partially by the two ends of the clothing being lapped over the rods, and thus when the crank is turned the clothes are conducted by the apron and its rods between the fluted rollers and the scrubbiz g-board, thereby rubbing and cleaning the clothes, and as the suds-box is closed by the cover the steam and water will be prevented from escaping, the cover serving to retain the heat of the water, as well as to prevent all splashing. v

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States The combination of the inclined suds-box and its cover, the swinging frame pivoted therein and consisting of the bars connected near their free ends by a smooth roller and near their pivoted ends by corrugated rollers, with a transverse board intermediate the smooth and corrugated rollers, an endless apron passing around the rollers, said apron having its edges provided with hems and having transverse rods with looped ends secured within the hems, a wash-board with one of its ends resting against the lower end of the suds-box and its other end supported upon a spring, and a crank attached to one of the rollers, all substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affiXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BIRTH.

Witnesses:

THOMAS SMYTH, PATRICK H. LYNCH. 

